Same God -- Brandon Lake, Chris Brown, Pat Barrett, Steven Furtick

 

Unchangeable. That one word sums up what Brandon Lake, Chris Brown, Pat Barrett, and Steven Furtick were expressing with “Same God” in 2022. This Elevation Worship group in Charlotte, North Carolina was probably looking at some inspiring words that spurred them to think outside of their own experiences in this lifetime. They certainly thought about what different writers have said about the God they worshipped across the centuries, from historical periods separated by some 2,000 years, and even broader than that if they included themselves in this group of humans who have called out to Him. Perhaps what one fellow called Him is most apt – the Ancient of Days (see Daniel 7:9,13,22; and as shown in a reproduction of this 18^th Century artwork The Ancient of Days by William Blake) – because it communicates that He’s existed from before time began and He’ll also be present at the end of time. In other words, He’s not bound by time, so how could He change if He’s outside of our understanding of linear time?  

  

The comments by one of the writers, Chris Brown, further indicates specifically how the group’s focus helped them pen the words about this Same God. Chris and the others must have been thinking about what the writer of Hebrews had to say about God, including that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever (Hebrew 13:8). And, there’s so many who’ve gone on before those of us who are still living, that we cannot help but think about that great cloud of witnesses (Hebrews 12:1), as Chris explained. They had no doubt that He was – and is -- the same God that their forefathers had heard, and worshipped, and followed. So, these songwriters wanted people who heard their musical creation to join in, not just in the act of singing and worshipping, but also to think of themselves as being part of that great voyage of humanity, seeking out Him who made us. From the Jacob of Genesis to Mary in the gospels, and so many others in between – like Moses and David, and so many others they do not mention in their lyrics – who talked with, and even wrestled with this same God, one thing they could say was that He’s faithful. He’s dependable, because the pledges that He made to people long ago were honored. And, since He was a promise-keeper for those people, we can think of Him in the same way, and articulate that to succeeding generations. By creating a musical prompt for this goal, the Elevation Worship members have sought to add to the great collection of songs that help preserve a people’s awareness and appreciation for this Same God…as if anyone could reasonably forget or disregard Him.

 

The reality is that too many people do ignore God, until an episode in life just will not allow us to put Him aside. A few pages about ancient history’s people who tried to go around Him should give us reason to pause. Just a glimpse of how He interacted, and the number of people He impacted, was enough for 12 followers to give themselves completely to Him, including martyrdom. And, there were so many others before them, as the Hebrews 11 crowd testifies, and centuries of believers since then. He changed the trajectory of the people He met, and though He went home after 33 years here on earth, He’s still here. The Elevation Worship band reminds us that the Holy Spirit is part of the Divine presence, the same one who’s been called faithful by all those generations we can read about. We all still need Him, something else that they remind us to acknowledge. Have an ailment, lack courage, see giant problems in front of you, don’t know how to swim when an ocean preventing a resolution to an issue is in the way, or just feel insignificant to others? Brandon, Chris, Pat, and Steven recall all of those impediments in their lyrics. Yet, the same God is healer, lifter, protector, rescuer…the list doesn’t really end. He’s still who He’s always been.         

 

 

Read about the song here, including some comments by one of the composers re: its purpose: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Same_God

 

Also read about the song’s purpose here: https://jubileecast.com/articles/27286/20220122/7-things-to-know-about-elevation-worships-lion.htm

 

See the composers and their band sing it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LawxIZE9ePE

 

For information on the image, see the following: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Europe_a_Prophecy,_copy_D,_object_1_(Bentley_1,_Erdman_i,_Keynes_i)_British_Museum.jpg …The author died in 1827, so this work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 100 years or fewer…This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published (or registered with the U.S. Copyright Office) before January 1, 1930.

Resurrecting -- Chris Brown, Mack Brock, Matthew Ntele, Steven Furtick, Wade Joye

 

It would be no small thing to witness something like what they were remembering in 2015. That was what Chris Brown, Mack Brock, Matthew Ntele, Steven Furtick, and Wade Joye were saying essentially with “Resurrecting”, when they sang it as part of an album, an album that proposed that believers in the One with the power to raise someone to life start to live with that hope while still here on earth. Jesus demonstrated that He had power over life, to resurrect the dead (like when Lazarus was raised after four days, as shown in this painting by Leon Bonnat, France, 1857), so when these Elevation Worship band members sang about that in the Charlotte church where they were ministering, they were saying in effect ‘let’s think of that happening in Charlotte today’. What would you think if that sort of thing happened in front of your eyes today?

 

Oh, that must be a hoax! How did they stage that one? Where are the doctors to verify what they claim happened? There would be lots of skepticism, for sure, if someone were to rise from the dead today. And, there are plenty of so-called ‘faith healers’ that do put on a show (as depicted in the Steve Martin/Debra Winger 1992 movie Leap of Faith). But the fact of Jesus’ rising is the foundation of Christian faith, and really, what other better option is there for humanity than to stake our lives upon the hope that God through Jesus’ resurrection gives us? The issue of His rising has been the subject of much historical study, including in lots of books that could be listed here; three come to mind -- The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus, by Gary R. Habermas and Michael R. Licona; Evidence the Demands a Verdict, by Josh McDowell & Sean McDowell; and The Case for Christ, by Lee Strobel. Those are all studies of what happened to Jesus, about a key historical event more than 2,000 years ago. But what about today, and what about the people whose lives are changed radically? The Elevation Worship team also seemed to indicate that that is something that resurrection today brings. Although they don’t spell out explicitly why they wrote ‘Resurrecting’, this team of five songwriters suggests in their lyrics that knowing Jesus has risen can alter someone’s outlook fundamentally. They begin with praise for Jesus and His revival, and use that as a stepping stone for us mortals to worship Him and exercise a new life here and now. ‘Fear’ recedes in this new way of living, because ‘His…breath’ is inside the believer (v.3). And, they sing repeatedly that yes, we can expect to rise in the future, but they follow up that thought with He ‘is resurrecting me’ – in the present. He’s the One who resurrected people while He lived on earth (three people: son of the widow of Nain [Luke 7:11-17]; daughter of Jairus [Matthew 9:18-26, Mark 5:21-43, and Luke 8:40-56]; and Lazarus [John 11:1-44]), people came out of the graves when He was resurrected (Matthew 27:51-53), and of course He came out of His own grave and appeared to many to prove it was fact. He knows all about resurrection.

 

This Elevation Worship team’s song was written probably at the Charlotte church where they are located, and where they recorded the live album on which ‘Resurrecting’ appears. It’s titled Here as in Heaven, evidently a reference to what Jesus prayed when teaching the disciples the proper way to address God, and how to regard His purposes for humanity (Matthew 6/Luke 11). Bring to earth and its inhabitants the ways of God. So, thinking of resurrecting as not exclusive to the realm of the afterlife is what Jesus wanted people to grasp. It can be now, and our engines are revved as we read about how He raised others physically, came out to the grave Himself, and plans to do that at the end of life for all who want Him and what He offers. That’s how we can start eternity-thinking today. As one of the apostles wrote, it’s now – you and I have it already (1 John 5:14). That is what the Elevation Worshippers in Charlotte also realized in 2015. Do you know it today? You can.  

 

Read some about the song here: Resurrecting - Wikipedia

Read about the album on which the song premiered here: Here as in Heaven - Wikipedia

Read about the group that wrote the song: Elevation Worship - Wikipedia

Watch an inspiring story about related to the song here: Bing Videos

See information about the image here: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bonnat01.jpg …This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 70 years or fewer….{{PD-1996}} – public domain in its source country on January 1, 1996 and in the United States. This media file is in the public domain in the United States. This applies to U.S. works where the copyright has expired, often because its first publication occurred prior to January 1, 1930, and if not then due to lack of notice or renewal. See this page for further explanation.

Reckless Love -- Caleb Culver, Cory Asbury, Ran Jackson

 

He shared the moment with a concert audience in 2017, an image that perhaps Cory Asbury and his two musical collaborators, Caleb Culver and Ran Jackson, could not get out of their minds. And so, as Cory sang and told the story to the audience, this “Reckless Love” that seemed to best describe what was so fundamental about the character of the Messiah was why they were on stage singing and inviting the crowd to worship with them. That’s the part of Him that draws people’s attention. Why would God be so concerned about us, or especially about one lonely sheep when He has 99 others that are standing with Him loyally? (See Jesus carrying the lost sheep on His shoulders.) To hear Cory describe it, His is the most absurd, irrational attitude. But, consider that He’s the Creator, the one who is the original bearer of the image which you and I are supposed to mimic. Do we have a choice, really? He made me, and so at least a piece of Him – or, is it much more than a piece? -- is involved with me and my life. That’s why He goes after me, and you too. He knows something innately will draw us to Him. That’s His most basic characteristic, and His best way to reach me.

 

Cory, Caleb, and Ran must have shared more than a few moments with each other in the first seven verses of Luke 15 when they were first conceiving the lyrics and the music of ‘Reckless Love’. The story begins with the religious legal eagles berating Jesus for eating with people they thought were the throwaways in their midst – tax collectors and other sinners. So, to them, the authorities who were so learned, Jesus was indeed reckless. But, the poetry that Cory, Caleb, and Ran penned begins by reminding us that He made us, was ‘singing’ over and ‘breathing’ into you and me (v.1), and thereby exulting over and investing a part of Himself in us before we even emerged from our mothers’ wombs. In verse two, these three songwriters project the human life into the time after birth, when the fully-formed person makes his/her own choices, even to be His ‘foe’, or perhaps to become despondent when one feels ‘no worth’ in existence. In any circumstance, He goes out to find and lift that person onto His shoulders, to bear his/her pain. Cory’s words at the 2017 concert reminded people that God’s not calculating His own cost at doing this ridiculous thing. Indeed, the depth of His apparent folly just might be the method for getting our attention; He hopes that you and I will take a long look at Him, and respond in kind. There’s nothing really reckless in God’s nature, Cory said at the concert. But, the way He’s loved is so far outside of the box of what we consider reasonable, that it helps us accept how and why He could choose the cross over His own safety. Think about for a moment…what if He had not decided to be so reckless?        

 

According to Cory, Caleb, and Ran, this God-Man did something that showed His love so completely, that it goes on, perpetually. There are other stories that Jesus told that get across the same point (like the lost/prodigal son story, later in the same bible chapter in Luke’s gospel). It doesn’t matter how many times I mess up, for He wants me back every time. He keeps ‘coming after me’ (song’s chorus) with this unrelenting desire to take down ‘a wall’, climb a ‘mountain’, or expose ‘lie(s)’ or ‘shadow (s)’ with His light to get to me. The hardest thing sometimes to understand about this Almighty, Omnipotent One is that He won’t force me to do anything. If He’s so powerful, why not just make me? But, He’s got a better way, and it’s not supposed to make earthly sense. Kindness and goodness, that’s how these three songwriters had re-discovered God’s way to ‘overwhelm’ (chorus) you and me. If you don’t respond to His way, consider the alternatives…and then choose which method/s you prefer.

 

Read about the song’s development here: Reckless Love (song) - Wikipedia

 

See the song performed and the story of its background told here: Reckless Love (Live with story) - Cory Asbury | Heaven Come 2017 (story told at 5:35 -  9:38 of video)

 

See information on the graphic here: File:Champaigne shepherd.jpg - Wikipedia…This work is in the public domain in its country of origin and other countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 100 years or fewer. This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published (or registered with the U.S. Copyright Office) before January 1, 1930.